For many of us in Western North Carolina, today is the first day of Spring Break for our kids. No school for 9 days! Exciting and daunting. How do we keep our kids busy and having fun without breaking the bank? What if you can’t afford to go to the beach or Gatlinburg or pay for camp? This week, I’ll be sharing some advice for how to keep your kids having fun right here in Western North Carolina. “Budget” varies widely from family to family, so I’ll cover ideas that are completely free and some that have a small cost associated with them. Psst…if you don’t know about ZOOM Passes from the library, check this out.
Canton, north carolina on a budget
Last week, I spent a rare solo day exploring Canton, NC. It’s about a half hour drive from where I live in Swannanoa. And in the five hours I was in town, I was able to do a lot and still not scratch off all of the exciting ideas my social media followers suggested.
Here are some ideas for how to explore Canton on a budget:
@rundainwnc Caveat that I know gas prices are high and cost of food (even at home) is high too! Hoping this will generate some ideas to keep the spring break fun going and affirm for you that you DON’T have to go on a major vacation or travel hours for memorable experiences 🩷 Canton Spring Break Ideas: 🛝Play, stroll, picnic @ Canton Rec Park 👾 $1 Comic Books and Claw Machine @ Geek Mountain 📕 Free & Discount Books and Puzzles @ Blue Moon Books 🍳 Biscuits @ The Grateful Table Honorable mention for Budgie’s Bake Shop in Candler which is pay what you can. Depending on where you’re driving from it may or may not make sense but you should follow them either way! I’ve also heard great things about the Enka Candler Library but it’s closed until after the Easter holiday. Other free and budget things to do in Canton, NC? Share in th comments! #springbreak #westernnorthcarolina #828isgreat #asheville #canton ♬ original sound – Runda in WNC
😎 Canton Recreation Park (77 Penland Street, Canton, NC)
The Canton Recreation Park is just a couple of streets over from downtown Canton. There’s a paved parking lot and on one side you’ll find a playground, picnic table pavilions, a grassy open area, and the pool (not open for the season yet). On the other side of the parking lot are tennis and basketball courts. Running alongside the park is a paved walking trail following the Pigeon River.
@rundainwnc I loved checking out a new (to me) park just before Spring Break. This Canton park has it all – a big playground, green space, picnic tables, fishing holes, paved walking path, benches, tennis court, basketball court, and dog park! #828isgreat #canton #westernnorthcarolina #asheville #candler ♬ original sound – Runda in WNC
👾 Geek Mountain (338 Main St, Canton, NC)
Geek Mountain is a self-proclaimed store for the nerds in your life. In addition to many cool games, accessories, manga, clothes, etc. there are some budget options! Inside is a claw machine, $1 comic books, and pay what you can canned soda.
📕 Blue Moon Books (109 Main St, Canton, NC)
Blue Moon Books is a used bookstore on Main Street. Inside, you’ll find chess and a puzzle set up to play. Rows and rows of used books, including many $1 and free books. Under the local authors table, you can find used games and puzzles too!
🍳 The Grateful Table (473 Main St, Canton, NC)
The Grateful Table is a great place to grab a snack to take to the park. You can check out the small items and baked goods on display or perhaps order a few biscuits and jam. If you decide to eat in, there’s a small basket of toys appropriate for small kids.
Honorable mention for Budgie’s Bake Shop in Candler which is a pay what you can bakery. Depending on where you’re driving from it may or may not make sense but you should follow them either way! I’ve also heard great things about the Enka Candler Library but it’s closed until after the Easter holiday.
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